


Taken Away

by MarellyJeon



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-11
Updated: 2013-12-11
Packaged: 2018-01-04 08:53:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1079019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarellyJeon/pseuds/MarellyJeon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hey lovelies, <br/>So I decided to write a kidnap fic and of course, it has to be Niall who gets kidnapped because we all love a fic where Liam does the loving and the comfort. yes, it’s all cliched but I did my best, hope ya all like it. <br/>MIght or might not do a follow-up. <br/>Warning: Kidnapping, mild violence, guns and fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Taken Away

“ Wait, Paul what do you mean you can’t find him? How can you lose him?!” Liam was bordering on hysterical panic. The crowd is getting rowdier and rowdier, they had taken to shaking the sides of the van and if they didn’t leave within the next minute…

Liam didn’t want to think of the repercussions but Niall is out there, he could be all alone in this crowd and Paul’s snapping fingers in his face. The van has started moving on.

He reached for his phone and speed-dialled the familiar number but didn’t get any answer. Paul was seated in front, doing the same thing.

“ None of the guards are with him, I’m going to try the venue security.” Paul’s words felt like ice in his stomach and he sat back, gripping his phone in his hand tightly. He remembered hands reaching out for him, pulling him in different directions but he was only aware of the hand in his, Niall’s hand was gripping him tightly until somebody managed to forcefully pull him away and he lost his grip on Niall’s hand and then Liam lost sight of him.

“ Come on, Li. It’s going to be okay, someone probably brought him somewhere. “ he was vaguely aware of Louis trying to comfort him but for some reasons, he couldn’t settle down. It was like something bad was going to happened.

“…. none of the security guards at the venue saw him. I got to let management know if Niall doesn’t answer his phone within the next half hour. Standard procedure protocol.” The van continued speeding on, going further and further away from the shopping mall. 

Liam was just absent-mindedly going through photos and autographs as he kept glancing at his phone. It was silent as it had been for the past hour and Paul had to inform the management. After they managed to get away and safely back into their hotel room, Paul pulled him aside.

“ The management are getting help from the police. Somebody saw him being pushed into a black car but they didn’t get the licence plate.” Liam felt his legs turn into jelly. He laid a hand on the wall to hold himself up.

“ He’s been kidnapped. I can’t believe this is happening. Why wasn’t someone with him then?! “ His outburst was loud enough that Louis and Harry came out of the room. Paul took Liam’s arm and pulled him into the room, ushering Louis and Harry inside as well.

Liam couldn’t answer any of their questions as he sat down on the couch, trying to catch his breath. He thought kidnappings only happened in the movies, it couldn’t happen to someone like Niall, right?

He tried calling Niall’s phone but it was switched off, which confirmed his fears this time around what Paul said is true.

Liam didn’t sleep a wink that night.

Niall didn’t know they had hired new security so when this new guy, whom he thought looked a younger Bruce Willis herded him into a black car, away from the screaming girls, he didn’t hesitate.

It was almost an hour into the journey when he realised the scenery outside consisted lots of greenery. They were going into the forested areas and he didn’t think that was the right way to their hotel.

“ Um, excuse me mate but I think you’re in the wrong way…” He faltered when he heard the clicking of metal being pointed to his face.

“ I would sit down now if I were you, Niall.” Something about the quiet calmness in his voice made Niall lean back into the seats and sit up straighter.

“ So how’s Bobby and Maura?”

“ “ You knew my parents?”

“ Quite well,I would say.” Niall was bewildered. What could his parents have to do with this situation?

“ Where are you taking me?”

“ You’ll see. In the meantime, I would appreciate it if you pass me your phone.” There wasn’t any point in arguing with a man who’s pointing a gun to his face. Niall pressed himself into the seats of the car, feeling fear fully settle in his chest.

“ So how’s Bobby? I haven’t seen him for some time. It’s been almost eight years, huh? You were just eleven then. “

“ How did you know my dad? “ The car took a right turn off the path and it got darker. Niall began to feel a little claustrophobic. The guy threw a paper bag over his shoulder and it landed on Niall’s lap.

“ C’mon, breath, Nialler. You can’t faint on me now.” It creep him out to see how much the man knew Niall.

“ Your dad took you away from me.”

Niall quickly grab the paper bag and started breathing into it.

Liam ran a hand over his short fuzz for the fifth time that morning. Niall had been missing for almost a day, there wasn’t any calls or news and Liam felt like he was standing on the edge. He can’t believe the police didn’t have any clues and they were supposed to do more waiting.

“ How about the surveillance camera at the venue? Anything there? Can we track Niall’s phone?”

Paul just shook his head. Liam was barely stopping himself from snapping.

“ Liam, It was too crowded, we couldn’t pick up any faces at all. We couldn’t do the tracking because the GPS was disabled. The person who took him knew what we were doing. Calm down, Liam. The police are doing their best and…..” Paul paused to look around before bringing Liam closer to the window, where they were further away from the rest in the room.

“ I overheard one of them saying that the FBI is involved because, there was something weird going on involving Bobby. They wouldn’t tell me anything but I manage to get a bug in there, I would know if there’s anything they are not telling us.”

Liam frowned at him. Why would Bobby be involved, and the FBI? He didn’t care about any of it except the fact that Niall was surrounded by all these. It sounded dangerous and he wanted his Nialler safe in his arms.

“ I can’t believe this. How can Bobby be involved in this? It doesn’t make any sense. “ Paul just gave a sigh and shrugged his shoulder.

“ What Niall needs at this point of time is for you to calm down and not to rush into anything okay? “

One of the police came into the room, holding a phone.

“ Mr Payne, I think you need to see this. It was taken at one of the service station, about an hour from here. As you can see, Mr Horan is unharmed in this.” The video footage was grainy but there was the unmistakeable spiky blonde hair and that face, just barely visible as the windows rolled down for a minute before it went up again, as if offering whoever is watching a glimpse.

He could see Niall’s eyes were wide opened before the car started moving off and it offered him some hope that Niall is unharmed so far.

“ We tracked down the car but it was unregistered and it was found abandoned about a kilometres away. They could be on foot or possibly on another car.” Liam sank down to the nearest couch clutching the phone.

The detective took away the phone from Liam’s grasp.

“ Don’t worry, son. We’ll get him back. My daughter’s a big fan of the band , she’ll kill me if anything happens to Mr Horan.” Liam looked up to the face through his blurry vision and nodded his head mutedly, as it was all he could do. The detective had kindness and sympathy in his eyes despite his stern face.

“ Thank you so much, sir… I-i..” The detective patted his hand assuringly.

“ Just call me Detective Hudson.” Liam shook his hand, suddenly finding the strength in him again.

“ Then you just call me Liam. “

Niall couldn’t help but think that the reason why his kidnapper stopped at a service station, right in front of a teller machine which has a camera on it and rolled down the window before driving off at top speed was because he wanted to show that Niall is still safe and sound.

So far, this Micheal James person, he learns, has not done anything other than point a gun, threatened him and handcuffed him to the seat. It’s contradicting, this person took him yet makes sure he’s safe and sound.

“ You should really explain what you said earlier. What do you mean by my dad took me away from you? I am… your son?” Michael didn’t say anything, instead he just speeds up. It has been like this for the last hour and it’s making him restless.

Finally they stopped at a house in the woods, it doesn’t look rundown, just well-maintained, which is different from what he had imagined in his mind.

Michael wrenched the car opened and un-cuffed Niall. Before he could take the opportunity to kick Michael in the shin and make a run for it, he saw the barrel of the gun came close , there was a burning pain at the side his head before it all went black.

Harry had been persuading him to eat for the past hour but Liam just couldn’t bring himself to take a bite when he thought about Niall.

His Niall who could be hurt somewhere, with a total stranger who could hurt him any time and he wondered if Niall had even had anything to eat or drink. He tried to remember the last time Niall had a meal, it was yesterday’s breakfast of pancake stack with bacons and eggs and orange juice. At least it was a big meal, Liam couldn’t help praying it could still provide Niall with some energy.

Of all the things to worry about, he had to worry about his boyfriend’s eating because he knew what a big eater Niall is , getting peckish two hours after breakfast. Detective Hudson had assured him, he felt a little ease at what he said, the kidnapper had purposely brought Niall somewhere where there are cameras.

After being informed of the kidnapping, the FBI had actually uploaded his photos to match on every where there is a controlled camera, meaning every teller machines, phone booths, traffic junctions , buildings and places would be able to match and identify Niall’s face.

The boys and him were actually surprised that they were being kept in the loop so much until they found out that the lead agent in the case is close to Simon. They didn’t know this until Simon stopped by their hotel and personally took Liam aside to talk to him.

“ They will be doing their best to find Niall and they will tell you as much as they could because I know some people, all right, Liam? But you have to promise me not to go out and do foolish things because we don’t want to endanger Niall any further. His kidnapper has yet to get in touch with us.” Liam just nodded and Simon patted his shoulder.

“ Bobby, Maura and Greg are coming down this evening. They will be staying here and will be helping out with investigations. Stay strong.”  
Simon left and Harry forcefully sat him down at the table, shoving a plate of sandwiches in front of him. Louis sat on the chair on his left and look at him expectantly.

“ Where’s Zayn?” Liam asked as he looked around the room. He felt the panic rise a little in his throat.

“ He went out for a smoke. “ Liam suddenly started to get breathless. If anyone else- if anything happens to anyone else, he didn’t know if he could handle it.

“ Please get him back, Harry. Please. I need all of you here because- I… I can’t – get him back, Harry, Please.” The room suddenly constricted his breathing and he felt his hand clutched his chest.  
Where is Zayn, get him back, I can’t-

“ Hazza, do it. He’s having a panic attack.” He heard Louis’s voice beside him but he couldn’t do anything else because he feels paralyzed.

Until Louis’s face filled his vision and hands holding his face steady, firm and he couldn’t look away.

“ Liam. Look at me. Breathe with me.”

Breathe in. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Breathe out. Breathe in, 1, 2 , 3 , 4 , 5. Breathe out.

The familiarity of Louis’s voice and face somehow calmed him down and then another familiar face force him to break eye contact with Louis. Zayn was there, dishevelled hair and smelling of cigarette smoke, safe and sound beside him , and Harry’s there too.

Except Niall.

“ Hey, Li. I’m here, Lou’s here and Harry’s here. We are all okay. Come on.”

He gripped Zayn’s arm and sort of fell forward toppling them over to the floor. He wasn’t sure if he’s crying or laughing, it felt like he was doing both at the same time, relief over seeing Zayn and the worry over missing Niall warred with his emotions.

Arms leading him to the couch, he laid his head on someone’s lap and Harry came to sit in front of him.

“ We are not going anywhere, Li.” He nodded and closed his eyes.

Michael handcuffed him to the bed and sat down on the bed beside him. Niall curled up his legs to his chest and resisted when Michael tugged at his ankle.

“ Please, no.” He started to beg but Michael just stared at him. He pulled Niall’s shoes and socks off, tossing them to the side and then releasing his leg. Niall clenched his eyes against the pain at the side of his head. It felt tender when he touched the spot and he felt mildly nauseated.

“ Bobby Horan is not a good man.”

“ I don’t believe you.” Michael just looked at him.

“ You have a red birthmark on the right side of your lower back, you fell down and scrapped your left knee so there’s a scar on your knee.” Niall gasped at his words.

How could this man know so much about him?

“ Well, at least he has the decency to put my surname as your middle name.”

“ What? No. Bobby Horan is my father. You have no proof. All the details you told me, you could have got off some website or something. I don’t believe you. What do you want from me?”

“ When you were eleven, you had accident. We were on the run because Bobby had told the police about me. You hit your head pretty bad and to protect you, Bobby took you away from me. “

“ All I did was so that we could have a comfortable life together. The money and the drugs… it could have all gone away if Bobby didn’t rat me out. We would have been happy together.”

Niall shook his head, looking away. He didn’t remember any of this, he didn’t know who this man is and why he is telling all this. The pain in his head getting heavier and heavier and he just wanted to close his eyes and fall asleep and wake up to Liam’s face and that Bobby Horan is still legitimately his father.

“ I escaped from prison one month ago, I wanted to talk to you but you were either surrounded by your bodyguards or those band mates of yours- is the one with the short hair your boyfriend?”  
Niall couldn’t help the soft smile on his face as he thought of Liam.

“ Yeah, he is. “

“ So do you understand why I had to take you away like this? Even if I did get a chance, there’s no way you could ever listen to what I have to say. “

“ Isn’t it ironic that you treat me like this and still be afraid that I’m not going to believe you? Isn’t that contradicting?” He shook the hand that was handcuffed to the bed and winced slightly when the cold, hard metal hit a tender spot.

“ And hitting me in the head with your gun?”

“ How can I ever believe someone who took me away from my loved ones? “ Michael suddenly grab his free hand, Niall froze at the touch.

“ I couldn’t get any news of you , Bobby took you and moved away, I didn’t even get to see you before I went to jail, the last time I saw you, you were in a coma because of the accident.”

“ Stop. I don’t believe anything you say.”

All he could think of was the happy moments he had with his family, Christmas morning breakfasts, his father buying him a new bike for his birthday, being there for his graduation and footie matches, there was nothing to ever suggest that his father wasn’t the real one.

Bobby had been nothing but a good father to him.

“ What did… what were you doing that you into trouble with the police?” He wasn’t sure if he’s ready to hear this, to hear the side of the father that he never knew.

“ Mostly drugs… Bobby worked with the CIA. He was hunting me down like a dog, even though he knew I was on the run with you, a child. He wouldn’t give me a chance.”

Niall winced at the sudden hazy memories in his mind, It hurts every time he tried to make sense of it, actually it had been there for as long as he could remember so he just gave up trying to make sense of it and lived his life.

“ I have said my piece, but I can’t let you go yet.”

“ Why not?” Michael looked away and shook his head.

“ Not yet.”

Liam woke up the sound of rain and thunder outside his window. His room was dimly-lit , save for the light coming in from the partially closed bathroom door. A warm body stirred behind him and he instinctively reached for it because Niall loved to cuddle during thunderstorms until he grabbed a bunch of curly hair that he remembered that Niall isn’t here beside him.

“ Li, you alright?” Harry’s sleepy voice came from somewhere immersed in the pillow. Liam felt tears prickling the back of his eyes and that familiar ache in his jaw as he tried to stop the waves of panic and helplessness crashing down.

Niall, I need you. Are you okay?

He turned away from Harry and curled up on his side , looking at the walls opposite his bed. He felt Harry’s arms shaking him and he couldn’t bring himself to response.

“ Lou, he’s awake! “ Harry whispered urgently before the sound of movement made him turn around. Zayn was sleepily looking at him from his spot at the foot of the bed while Lou was sitting on the bed, his arm around a worried looking Harry.

“ Li, the kidnapper… they sent something.” Harry made a mad rush for his phone and thrusts it into Liam’s face. He took a moment to adjust to the bright light but there was a short clip, barely a minute where it showed Niall sleeping on a bed, his hand hand-cuffed to the bed post, bare footed.

Liam stared at the sleeping face until he notices the side of his face is a bit darken and that’s when he realises the kidnapper had somehow hurt Niall , that’s why there’s something wrong with his face. He looks up to see Lou pulling Harry close as if to comfort him.

“ Detective Hudson says they are tracking down the sender, he also says there’s something odd about the way the kidnapper sends such clips. Usually if they are asking for ransom, they would….” 

Louis trails off, looking unsure to continue his sentence. Liam could only guess what he was about to say.

“ They would have hurt him even worst or made him say something to threaten us instead all he has been doing is to show us that Niall is safe. What is he up to?” Harry took the phone away from him.

“ Why didn’t you wake me up?” he snapped, feeling angry that this had happened and he was asleep.

“ Liam, you need your rest. You were not eating or sleeping well. We wanted to wait until you wake up. At least we know now he’s not harmed in any way, right?” Zayn said as Liam nodded and laid back against the headboard, feeling guilty that he had snapped at them. They need comfort as much as he needed comfort.

“ Eat something, please? You haven’t had anything since yesterday.” Harry begged. Louis took out a pack of sandwich and place it on the bed.

“ Niall’s parents are sleeping in the room beside us. You can talk to them in the morning. “

“ How are they? Are they all right?….” Louis just shrugged his shoulder.

“ Maura’s pretty upset and so’s Greg but I didn’t get a chance to talk to Bobby because he was with the police the whole time. “ Liam nodded and took a small bite of his sandwich.

It calmed him down a little after looking at the clip and after what Louis had said but he couldn’t take another bite of the sandwich. It tasted like rocks in his throat and he wrapped it up again and drank a sip of water from the bottle at his bedside table.

He curled up on his side again, angling away from the rest of them and closed his eyes.

He dreamt of Niall again that night.

Niall stared at the plate of burger that Michael had laid out in front of him. He would feel the hunger gnawing at his insides because the last meal he had was three days ago. He refused to eat, he made sure Michael got his point about letting him go.

The headaches never stopped. His mouth felt dry and he couldn’t help scratching at his limbs because they felt scratchy and dry as well.

Finally on the third day, he was delirious and kept having hallucinations between being conscious and sobbing himself to sleep because he kept seeing Liam when he closed his eyes.

Michael hovered around him, not saying much until finally when Niall has sunk limply against the pillow , there was a look of resignation in his eyes.

“ All I wanted is just to spend my time or what’s left of it with you, that is all I wanted from you.” Niall somehow plucked up his remaining energy and shook his head slightly. He had somehow run out of tears, probably because he stopped drinking water.

“ You didn’t have to do it like this. Just… let me go.” It hurts everywhere, if he had just given in and believed what Michael had said about his family, it wouldn’t be this painful.

“ I’m dying, Niall. I don’t have much time. Just listen to me.” Those were Michael’s words before he let the blackness take him over.

The next time he woke up, he felt marginally better. The headaches were gone, he didn’t feel his skin dry and scratchy anymore but he couldn’t move his hands. He lifted up his head to find there’s some sort of IV trip attached to the back of his left hand.

Both his hands were shackled to the bed with sort of soft, leather binding.

He began to panic, thinking Michael had drugged with him with what, he didn’t know while he was unconscious.

“ hey, stay still.” A voice came from the doorway and Michael was standing there, watching him with his arms crossed over his chest.

“ You refused to eat, I have to pump you with liquids so that you didn’t die of starvation. How does your boyfriend even put up with your hard-headedness?” he said and shook his head, coming to sit on the chair beside the bed.

“ He loves me, it wasn’t easy but it was worth it.” Niall found himself saying as he shook his hand, only to find it futile and useless.

“ If I let you go, would you promise that you would listen to me?”

“ I want to go back to Liam and my family.” Michael looked away , towards the open window, a faraway look in his eyes.

“ It was pure torture, all those years away from you, not knowing where you were, not knowing how you have grown up.”

“ I grew up fine, okay? Can’t you see that? The man that you hated so much took care of the things that you couldn’t do in the first place. Why is that so bad?” Michael turned back to him with anger and fire in his blue eyes. Niall found himself shrinking back into the bed in fear.

“ He destroyed my family. He took you away from me. He broke everything that I had for a promotion, did you know that?” Niall shook his head, wincing a little as his heart rate had somehow sped up and there was a tight, clenching pain in his jaw and shoulder.

“ He did not! You destroyed your own family! You put me in danger, all he did was to keep me safe!” The pain did not lessen, Michael noticed his discomfort.

It was becoming a hard for Niall to breath, it was as if Michael’s words had triggered something in him and it was becoming unbearable.

“ Niall, “ he started but stopped to place two fingers on Niall’s pulse point.

“ Where does it hurt? Tell me!” Niall struggled to breathe as the pain spreads from his jaw line, to his shoulder and down the left side of his body.

He closed his eyes and finally allowed the tight, clenching feeling take over him.

It was like vague pieces of hazy memories, urgent voices washing over him, bright lights that made him squint when he tried to open his eyes and the feeling of floating.

Liam, is that you?

Liam felt like the contents of his stomach could come forth out of his mouth anytime. The moment Paul told him they got a tip-off on Niall’s whereabouts and he was prepared to go to wherever the kidnappers are and just wrestled them bare-handed until they released Niall.

Paul suddenly grabbed him and made Liam face him with a deadly look in his eyes.

“ You are not to do anything stupid, Liam.

He was about to ask the location when Detective Hudson patted his shoulder and looks at him with sympathy and kindness in his eye. Liam realized belatedly that they are at the hospital.

“ Liam, calm down. They got Niall and he’s in there but….”

No, no, no. Niall had to be fine. He’s there, waiting for-

The detective’s next words shook him that his hands started trembling.

“ He’s had a heart attack, from what they told me and they are trying to save-“

“ Stop the car.” The car came to screeching halt in front of the ambulance entrance. He wrenched the car door opened and just threw up on the floor.

“ Are you ready to go in now?” He just nodded and somebody helped him into a wheelchair, pushing him through the opened doors. They came to a halt as they entered some sort of a waiting room, where the room was awash in shades of earth tones, a dark brown couch in a corner and a vending machine in another.

“ Liam.” It took him awhile for him to realise that Niall’s parents were all looking at him and Maura was shaking his arm.

“ He’s going to be alright, Liam. They told me he’s still alive but just barely scraped through. If he was brought in any later….” Liam just stared at her for a few moments before reaching up to take her hand. 

“ Liam, you alright?” he shook his head to clear his thoughts and gather his bearings. Maura’s eyes were red, she was probably crying and here he was, making everybody worry by freaking out like that. He nodded his head and pushed himself to stand up.

“ Did they say who brought him in? How did they find him?” She just shook her head.

“ They have not told me anything. Bobby and Greg had gone to see the police for information. The nurse told me to wait here with you.”

It was torturous, almost three hours later before there was news. The nurse came in to bring them to the recovery room where, separated by a panel of glass, Niall was lying on the bed, hooked up to various machines and wires, the most prominent ones on his chest.

He couldn’t take his eyes off the figure on the bed. Detective Hudson came to stand beside him.

“ He’s had a heart attack. They said that he was malnourished when they brought him in and they had restart his heart. How did they know where to find him?” Detective Hudson gestured towards the seats with his head.

“ We received a tip-off and out men went to the location and found Mr Horan unconscious on the bed. Beside him… “ He paused and took a deep breath, shaking his head.

“ Michael James shot himself in the head after calling us. We traced the call to his phone. “ Liam felt the same panic feeling rise in his throat again.

“ Did… did he do anything…was he..”

“ There wasn’t any evidence of sexual assault, if that’s what you are worried about. Actually, that’s the last thing you should be worry about because, Michael James in his biological father.” Liam felt his jaw drop when he heard the words.

“ Bobby wasn’t his father? But why…. why would he take Niall away?” He stood up and started pacing around, as if to escape the absurdity of the present situation. 

“ Michael James escaped from prison awhile ago. I guess he wanted to talk to Mr Horan but he was always surrounded by his bodyguards. Besides, I can’t imagine anyone would allow an escaped convict near a member of one of the biggest boyband around. Even if Mr Horan is a normal person, I don’t think you, as his family would allow such a person near him, right?”

“ I don’t think it’s my place to tell you what had transpired between Michael James and Bobby Horan, but I can tell you this, he didn’t intended to harm Mr Horan, judging from the food, the medical equipment and doing an intravenous for Mr Horan to keep him alive and if you put it together with the clips that he has been sending us and the fact that he allowed us to trace the call back to his phone showed his intentions clearly. But I understand your anger and anxiety, Liam.”

Liam isn’t sure what he felt about the truth of Niall’s parentage. It all overwhelmed him. He turned back to the sleeping Niall, fingers itching to touch him and be close to him again.

“ Liam, the man was dying. He was terminally ill, that was what the prison told me. He has a few months left , advanced stage of prostrate cancer. “ Liam couldn’t take his eyes off Niall on the bed.   
It seemed to him that if he ever took his eyes of Niall ever again, he might be taken away from Liam.

It was just a thought but he couldn’t bear it. He felt Detective Hudson patting his shoulder and walking away.

Niall didn’t wake up at all that night. The rest of the guys arrived soon after, Lou offering him a hot drink and practically thrusting food into his hands.

“ Eat. You need to take care of him when he wakes up.”

Bobby had explained what had happened between him and Michael James all those years. There was a note of regret and defeat as he gazed over his son.

“ I was young, I needed something to boost my position but when I saw how lonely Niall was, he was just a child then, I had thrown his father into prison. They would have just put him in foster care. I begged the chief for a chance to make up for all the wrongs that I did and I adopted him. His head injury was quite serious that he lost all memories of his past life and called me dad.” He felt tears coming to his eyes and he wiped away with the back of his hand. He felt a hand on his shoulder and smiled.

“ Maura supported me in every way. It wasn’t the proudest moment of my career but I love Niall as my own son, as much as we love Greg.”

Liam couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Being dragged down by guilt all these years and then, the anxiety of Niall being taken away from all of them was really an impact on all of them.

He spent the night looking over Niall, wincing against the flashbacks of nights spent without knowing how his boyfriend was, imagining having to live without him.

It was morning when somebody woke him by shaking his arm. It was the nice nurse who looks after Niall and when she moved aside, Niall was sitting up, braced against the headboard by what looks like a couple of pillows.

“ Hi.” Niall says and smiles.

Liam tries hard not to cry.


End file.
